Connections of Tasmanian mare Mystic Journey have decided to stick with their original pathway to the Cox Plate with her next start to be the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington.
Mystic Journey was beaten as a short-priced favourite by $101 shot Gatting in last Saturday’s Group One Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington and Trinder was considering his options with the mare.
Those options included the Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on Sunday week ahead of the Caulfield Stakes (2000m) on October 12.
But after assessing Mystic Journey’s recovery during the week and meeting with the owner on Thursday, the trainer will stick to his original plan.
Mystic Journey is the $5 favourite for the Cox Plate at The Valley on October 26.
“We’re definitely going to the Turnbull and hopefully on to the Cox Plate and that’s been the original thought process all the way,” Trinder said.
“We did consider the two weeks of the Underwood into the Caulfield Stakes into the Cox Plate, but we just thought the timing was a little bit tight with the two weeks between each run.
“This week was about letting the dust settle and seeing how the mare was, and she’s terrific, in really good order.”
The three weeks between the Turnbull Stakes on October 5 and the Cox Plate enables Trinder to return Mystic Journey to his Spreyton stable to prepare for the $5 million race.